The North American Continent has now for some time past been linked to Europe by the electric wire, inaugurating what may almost be termed a new era of civilisation; and the fact of laying the cable will live in history as long as the name of the leviathan ship through whose medium this great result was accomplished.

South America has yet to depend solely upon steam communication, but doubtless the means of magnetic intercourse will soon be supplied. Already a rival company has been formed to lay down a cable from Brest to America under privileges obtained from the French and American Governments, and the great ship, with her gallant commander, Sir James Anderson, is again to be called into requisition. It is very desirable that extra cables should be laid in case of accident to those at present existing.

I had hoped on my arrival home to find a company organised and a cable about to be laid from Falmouth to Portugal and the Azores, for which a concession had been obtained by Messrs. Rumball and Medlicott; but it appears that the stupidity of the Cortes prevented this important line being carried out—important to the world and to Portugal in particular, as it would have rendered that country the great centre of telegraphic communication, not only with her own islands, but also with North and South America, to which it was intended the line should eventually be carried. There would also have been a large and lucrative business between England and Lisbon, in connection with the mail steamers to and from Brazil, which at present is carried on under great disadvantage through Spain. Portugal and Spain are sadly in arrear as regards commercial progress and advancement, and Messrs. Rumball and Medlicott experienced the same fate as the South Eastern of Portugal Railway, which, though the Government had agreed to take it over, on equitable terms, the Cortes refused to ratify the agreement. All Messrs. Rumball and Medlicott required was an alteration in the law which prevented the Government granting concessions for more than twenty years. The concessionaries asked for ninety-nine years, which ought to have been readily granted, seeing the manifest advantage to Portugal of establishing such a facility for communication; but no, these pÉs de chumbo (leaden feet), as they are designated in other parts of the world, would not quicken their pace even to promote the best interests of their country. Sordid motives would also appear to be at the bottom of these acts of repudiation, with which both Spain and Portugal are too familiar.

I think a line might be stretched across the Isthmus of Panama, passing from the West Coast and over the Andes to Buenos Ayres, where a telegraphic cable can easily be laid along the seaboard to Rio de Janeiro. The Argentine Government is now laying down wires from Buenos Ayres to Rosario, whence the Central Argentine Railway carries them on to Cordova, so that a communication with Valparaiso or some port on the West Coast would not be a very formidable work.

Nothing would tend more to consolidate and bind the Argentine provinces together than railways and electric wires. It is true the latter might be exposed to temporary injury, from political agitators and others, but this is no argument against the introduction of so great a civiliser, which even savages soon learn to respect, and look upon with a certain degree of awe. The onward march of civilisation and progress in the Argentine, as well as the Chilian Republic, would most certainly, under every circumstance, greatly tend to secure and keep open an agency so useful to both.

I understand that General Webb, United States Minister at Rio de Janeiro, has lately been authorised to submit an important scheme for the laying of an ocean cable to place Brazil in telegraphic communication with both Europe and North America; and I am glad to learn that there is great probability of something practical resulting from the negotiations in progress in respect to this proposal.